A charity which had its food bank van stolen has received thousands of pounds in donations to buy a new vehicle.

After the Sheppey Support Project’s Mercedes Sprinter van was driven away from Holy Trinity Church in Sheerness, the organisers say it was nearly the end of the charity.

A man and a woman were arrested in Erith on January 3, a day after the theft took place. They were later bailed while inquiries continued.

Neither the old Sainsbury’s van – donated by the retailer three years ago – nor the food inside it have been recovered.

However, thanks to a £10,000 donation from the Barratt Foundation and hundreds of pounds raised by Sheppey primary schools, the charity is set to buy a new vehicle.

St Georges in Minster, Eastchurch Primary and Leysdown Primary raised the money through non-uniform days.

Phil Grieg, who runs the project which is part of the larger Oasis Hub Isle of Sheppey charity, says without help from the community the organisation was facing closure.

The help included health and wellbeing charity Sheppey Matters lending its minibus to the cause, which allowed the support project to get to Leysdown to deliver goods and set up outside Holy Trinity Church.

Phil, 48, who lives in Seasalter, says the group would like to purchase a van or bus which not only fulfils the food bank service but could also provide mobile youth services.

He said: “The community support has been overwhelming and what was something at the time was a negative has become a positive.

“We are hoping to have a concrete plan of what kind of vehicle we want to buy by the end of February and then have it up and running by the Easter half-term.”

The van was used to transport food, which is stored on a converted double-decker bus, around the Island.

Until they got the van, the bus was used to deliver the food. However, around a year ago, the only qualified bus driver left, and the smaller van became the only way to continue the good work.

Islanders who are on low incomes or claim benefits can become members of the organisation, and pay £32 per family for 20 food items.

According to the government's latest deprivation research, Sheppey is one of the poorest places in not only Kent but the UK.

The project was launched by Lynne Clifton of the Sheerness Salvation Army and Steve Chalke, the founder of the Oasis Charitable Trust.

Travelmasters boss Tim Lambkin donated the old bus which was turned into a mobile mini supermarket downstairs and meeting rooms upstairs by Faversham company South East Coachworks.